From: Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 17:11:48 -0800 (PST)
To: jim bell <jimbell@pacifier.com>
Subject: Re: More on digital postage
Message-ID: <199702160111.RAA14498@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


jim bell allegedly said:
> 
> 
> No, you're taking the issue to ridiculous extremes.    That's why we have 
> doors, and locks, etc.  And, for that matter, "No trespassing" signs.  
> 
> But having an address, and a walkway, and a doorbell is generally considered 
> if not explicit permission, but at least toleration of the idea that 
> somebody can walk up and knock on the door, etc. 

But if someone leans on my doorbell for 4 hours solid, I can call the 
police and have them carted away.  Carried to extremes, it's criminal 
trespass. 

> Having a telephone with a 
> number that anyone can dial is going to result in some level of intrusion.  
> Having a fax machine is a similar issue, unless technology provides a way to 
> block unwanted faxes.
> 
> I certainly don't claim that we shouldn't try to do anything about these 
> limitations!  Quite the opposite, technology should be employed to protect 
> privacy.  But faxes are not fundamentally different than telephones, 
> doorbells, and walkways:  They facilitate interaction, even potentially 
> undesirable interaction.

And, just as in the case with my doorbell, when the undesirable 
interaction gets past some reasonable limit, legal action can be taken.

> >	Nope. Sure I realize that they _can_, but that doesn't make it right,
> >and it doesn't make it legal. 
> 
> "Legal" is an arbirary concept; the opposite, "illegal," is merely what some 
> bunch of brainless legislators get together and disapprove.

Arbitrary or not, it has real world consequences.  But then most 
things with real world consequences are arbitrary, unlike libertarian 
fantasies, which enjoy the luxury of unreality.

-- 
Kent Crispin				"No reason to get excited",
kent@songbird.com,kc@llnl.gov		the thief he kindly spoke...
PGP fingerprint:   5A 16 DA 04 31 33 40 1E  87 DA 29 02 97 A3 46 2F